Chair's Newsletter
09 July 2010
My dear colleagues
It is my privilege to be writing this newsletter to you as Chair
of the Retail & Distribution Group.
You will be aware that our prime minister, David Cameron has
asked Lord Young to “investigate concerns over the application and
perception of health and safety legislation, together with the rise
of the compensation culture over the last decade”. Will this,
as some commentators have predicted, ring the death knell for our
profession? Or will it inject a new sense of maturity,
requiring an increasingly professional approach to the way in which
we, as a profession, approach risk?
HSE figures published in December 2009 show that there were 180
workplace deaths in 2008/09, an all-time low. For the
previous five years the average annual workplace death toll was
231.
However during the 2008/09 period, the number of Enforcement
Notices issued to employers by the Health and Safety Executive rose
from 7758 to 8054, despite the decrease in overall
accidents.
What are we to make of these conflicting messages?
Working in the retail environment, we find that many of our
mangers are complacent, feeling they are working in a low risk
environment. However, in 2008/09 there were 14 fatalities,
3,427.major injuries and 13,437 over-three day injuries in the
retail sector reported to HSE. We hear of periodic prosecutions of
household name organisations due to, according to the courts,
completely preventable breaches of safety codes. Some of
these cases can be found on the HSE website.
Also, if you are involved in distribution there is no sign of a
let up in HSE and Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA)
activity.
HSE’s Road Distribution Action Group (RDAG) is a partnership
between employers, trade unions and regulators. Its aim is to
improve health and safety and reduce ill health in the road
distribution industry by promoting and encouraging the adoption of
good practice. It used to meet regularly until April
2009. HSE is determined to re-establish it later this
summer. Its suggested action plan (subject to review by the
committee) includes:
Health and Safety Action Plan
Updated 7 July 2009
| Issue |
Background |
Expected outcomes |
Next Steps |
| Managing Health and Safety |
To be progressed through the ‘Management Pledge
initiative’ which FTA and RHA have agreed to take
forward. |
Big impact on securing strong leadership – a key to
improved H&S. |
FTA proposed focus group by Autumn. RHA
questionnaire to start awareness. |
| Preventing falling Loads |
Follow up and closing out any of the work started or
suggested by the RDAG ‘Preventing falling loads’ group |
Potential changes in attitude and reduction in ‘hit by
falling object’ accidents. |
Continuing working group. |
| Slips and trips |
A new working group could be set up to follow up on the
questionnaire work done by the RDAG slips and trips group, and to
take advantage of ‘Shattered Lives’ imagery, if it becomes
available. |
Questionnaire should give strong steer for future work,
and increase awareness of risk and solutions. |
Final meeting of existing working group in September
2009. |
| Business Case |
Develop a Suite of case studies for employers which show
that addressing H&S issues properly helps not only the business
H&S, but also their productivity and competitiveness bottom
line |
A stronger business case should improve uptake of H&S
training, improve skills and reduce accidents. |
Needs further input – to be agreed at October RDAG
meeting. |
| Manual handling |
The biggest cause of haulage RIDDORs. A working
group will need specific objectives to succeed, due to breadth of
topic. Previous RDAG working group planned to produce
informative case studies – relevant company input would be
needed. |
Case studies should raise awareness of solutions and
reduce accidents. |
Re-launch of manual handling group with clear scope and
remit for producing case studies. |
| Pedestrian segregation |
Still wide concern in the industry. Guidance is already
in place, so any work like to centre on how to promote existing
guidance and increase take-up of good practice. Could include
agreement on colour and meaning of line markings in yards and
warehouses. |
Better pedestrian segregation and less ‘struck by’
accidents. |
Needs clearer scoping at October RDAG
meeting. |
| Supply Chain |
Could more be done to highlight the responsibilities of
companies at different stages of the supply chain, including
packaging companies, consigners, loaders and receivers
etc. |
Major gains in safety can be achieved if all parts of the
supply chain cooperate effectively. |
Likely to need clearer scoping at October RDAG
meeting. |
| Multi-deck trailers |
Focus on safe loading and securing on multi-deck
trailers, particularly curtain siders. |
Significant increase in knowledge of standards and safe
solutions can be gained. |
Working group proposed, to meet before October
RDAG. |
| Advice on tail lift delivery of pallets |
Identifying existing standards and guidance, and look for
improved measures which can reduce handling, falls, and falling
load injuries. Could include weight limit advice for handling
pallets on tail lifts. |
A common high-risk task throughout much of the
industry. |
Task and finish group to be set up after October RDAG
meeting. |
| Worker Involvement |
A key part of HSE strategy. RDAG need to decide
whether this should be a separate piece of work, or whether we
build worker involvement and consultation into all the work we
do. |
Worker involvement has been shown to be a key factor in
improving culture, getting solutions right, and reducing
accidents. |
Need to agree a clearer scope at the October RDAG
meeting. |
| Health |
Identify key health issues for the industry, and what
more RDAG can do on health. |
Relatively little work done on health topics by RDAG in
recent years, so could be possible to identify some quick
wins. |
One off task and finish group could achieve this, or
could be done as a University research project. To be
agreed at next full RDAG. |
VOSA is working with HSL and HSE on a joint scheme to target
poorly secured loads on lorries, and use targeted intelligence to
persuade transport companies to improve the safety of their
loads. Analysis by the Health and Safety Laboratory shows
that in 2006/07 5 deaths, 216 major injuries and 946 over-three day
injuries in the ‘freight by road’ industry were caused by objects
falling onto people. In addition much time is wasted on
Britain’s roads due to shed loads. During June a technical
group of experts from Freight Transport Association (FTA), Road
Haulage Association (RHA), VOSA, Society of Motor Manufacturers and
Traders (SMMT), HSE and IOSH met to discuss the way in which this
long-term campaign will operate, and to review whether or not there
is an issue with UK trailer design (as compared to trailers largely
used on the continent). The project is in its early stages,
and as more comes clear I will pass it on to you.
Will Lord Young’s report derail any of these initiatives?
Almost inevitably the answer will be “no”. "There is no
question, in any dangerous occupation, in any place where people
are in danger, health and safety rules will apply” he
said.
However the public mood is changing and IOSH Retail &
Distribution Group members will need to be prepared to respond in a
professional and considered manner. If this review gets rid
of the “music hall joker” that can only be a good thing.
Sean Cusack
Chair
Retail and Distribution Group
The opinions expressed in this article are those of
the author and are not necessarily those of the Institution of
Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH). Where the content includes
discussion and information about UK law or occupational health
matters, this should not be regarded as legal or
medical advice. Where legal advice is required, a suitably
qualified lawyer should be consulted. Where medical advice is
required, a suitably qualified medical practitioner should be
consulted.